Bill Clinton
The video Bill Clinton is a BrainPOP Social Studies video that aired on June 11, 2012. Summary The episode starts with Moby and Jazz Bot playing music Tim asks Moby who taught him how to play like that at the end Clinton walks along Tim greets him. Appearances *Tim *Moby *Jazz-bot *Annie (cameo) Transcript * Bill Clinton/Transcript Quiz * Bill Clinton/Quiz FYI Comics Famous Faces First Ladies are often overshadowed by their Presidential husbands. Hillary Rodham Clinton has always been determined to buck that trend! The wife of the 42nd President of the United States played a key role in her husband’s administration. Immediately after he took office, Bill Clinton appointed her the head of the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. Although the initiative failed in Congress, Hillary went on to champion other programs, including the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act. After Bill Clinton left office in 2001, though, Hillary really stepped into the political spotlight, winning a seat as a U.S. Senator from the state of New York. It was the first time a former First Lady had run for office, and Clinton also became the first woman to represent New York in the Senate. After winning re-election in 2006, Clinton decided to follow in Bill’s footsteps and run for president in 2008. She had enough political experience and support from key leaders of the Democratic Party—including her husband—to immediately become the front-runner in the race for the Democratic nomination. Her main opponent was Barack Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois who was short on experience but boasted a charismatic personality that made him popular among younger voters. The battle between Clinton and Obama was long, bitter, and close. But eventually, Clinton decided to bow out and throw her support behind Obama, who went on to win the election. The experience wasn’t a total loss for Clinton, however—after taking office, President Obama named her Secretary of State! She became the first former First Lady to serve in a presidential cabinet, and she has earned high marks for her work in building America’s relationships with countries around the world. Arts And Entertainment Add “best-selling author” to the list of accomplishments Bill Clinton has achieved in his post-presidential career! The former president wrote three books in the decade after he left office. Here’s a rundown of the Clinton library: My Life: Clinton’s autobiography was published in 2004. He spent two and a half years writing it by hand—it filled up 22 whole notebooks! It covers his life in chronological order, starting with his childhood in Hope, Arkansas and continuing all the way to his presidency. Clinton was paid $12 million to write the book, and it’s sold more than two million copies! Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World: Published in 2007, this book pays tribute to charity work. Clinton tries to inspire readers to get involved by describing some of the charitable efforts supported by the William J. Clinton Foundation, which he founded in 2001 to tackle issues like AIDS prevention and global warming. The book also spotlights the charity work of celebrities like talk show host Oprah Winfrey and billionaire Warren Buffett. Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy: Clinton was inspired to write this 2011 book after spending months traveling around the country making speeches for Democratic candidates in the 2010 midterm elections. During those appearances, he experienced firsthand the hopelessness felt by Americans who couldn’t find work in the tough economic climate. Clinton’s book offers common-sense ideas for getting the country back on track. They include big ideas like tax breaks for investments that create jobs, and small ideas like painting building roofs white to save energy! Eating And Drinking Bill Clinton was known for enjoying burgers and other greasy food when he was President. But a number of health scares in his post-presidential years inspired him to change his meat-eating ways! Clinton is now on a vegan diet, which is sort of like a vegetarian diet to the max. While vegetarians avoid meat, poultry, fish, and seafood, vegans are even stricter—they’re not allowed to eat dairy, eggs, or honey, either. Instead, a vegan diet contains plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and beans. Studies have shown that people on vegan and vegetarian diets have a lower risk of heart disease and cancer—and they’re less likely to be overweight! In 2004, Clinton complained of chest pains and shortness of breath. Doctors discovered several blockages of the arteries in his heart. Clinton had quadruple bypass surgery, and began to cut out junk food and carbohydrates. But it wasn’t enough—in 2010, he was rushed back to the hospital to have emergency surgery in which small stents, or tubes, were placed in blocked arteries to prop them open. After that surgery, Clinton decided to go all the way to a plant-based diet. He lost 24 pounds for his daughter Chelsea’s wedding, and he continues to stay with his new vegan lifestyle, though he still occasionally eats fish. Trivia * Bill Clinton’s original name was William Jefferson Blythe III. He never knew his father, who died in a car accident before he was born. His mother remarried when he was four years old, and in high school, Bill took the name of his stepfather, Roger Clinton. * Bill and Hillary Clintons’ only child, daughter Chelsea, was born in 1980. * Clinton’s had many nicknames throughout his political career, including Boy Governor (for being the youngest governor in the country when he was governor of Arkansas), Slick Willie (for his political skills), and Bubba (for his folksy Southern charm). * In 1992, Clinton became the first Democrat to win the White House in 16 years. When he won re-election in 1996, he became the first Democratic President to win re-election since Franklin D. Roosevelt! * At 6 feet, 2 inches, Clinton is tied with five other presidents as the fourth-tallest in U.S. history. * On October 21, 1994, the Clinton administration launched the first official White House website, whitehouse.gov. * Socks was the Clintons’ pet cat during their time in the White House. Known affectionately as the First Cat, he was later joined by Buddy, a dog adopted by Clinton during his second term in office. Socks and Buddy did not get along. * Clinton left office with a 68% public approval rating, which tied Ronald Reagan and Franklin D. Roosevelt for the highest rating of a departing president in the modern era. * In 2009, Clinton traveled to North Korea and arranged for the pardon and release of two American journalists who had been imprisoned there for five months. FYI Comic Category:BrainPOP Episodes Category:Social Studies Category:Famous Historical Figures Category:U.S. History Category:U.S. Presidents Category:2012 Episodes Category:Episodes in June Category:Economics Category:The Law Category:June 2012 Episodes Category:Elections